Foreign legion: Connection names 14 imports in 27-man roster

The DIRECTV W Connection Football Club’s training ground might have more foreign employees than an embassy for the 2013/14 season as the Digicel Pro Bowl and Lucozade Sport Goal Shield champions named just 13 Trinidad and Tobago players in its 27-man roster for the CONCACAF Champions League today.

Coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier’s squad for Thursday’s Champions League fixture in Panama includes five Colombian players, three from St Kitts and Nevis, two from Brazil and St Lucia respectively and one each from Suriname and Italy.

Six of Connection’s foreign legion were registered with the club last season while Joao Ananias, Celio Da Silva (both Brazil), Yhon Reyes, Yefer Lozano, Camilo Ortega (all Colombians), Devaughn Elliot, Julani Archibald (both Kittians) and Mirko Delia (Italy) will make their Pro League debuts in the 2013/14 campaign.

Ananias, a 21-year-old right back who is on loan from Brazil first Division club Nãutico, and Delia, a 24-year-old former Serie A striker with Catania and an ex-Italy national under-20 player, are arguably Connection’s two most intriguing new recruits.

Photo: W Connection striker Mirko Delia (right) talks to teammate Silvio Spann.Delia was once a Serie A player for Catania while Spann was on the books for Perugia.(Courtesy W Connection)

Connection chairman David John Williams said his club was forced to look abroad for talent to offset the departure of local stars like Hughtun Hector and Shahdon Winchester, who are on loan in Finland and Vietnam respectively.

“We haven’t changed our squad from last year,” Williams told Wired868. “We just added (players). If anyone can find players locally for me to meet that level, I am happy to get them.

“When you lose players like Hector and Winchester, you have to replace them with quality.”

Williams explained that communication will not be an issue as assistant coach Earl Jean, who once played professionally in Portugal, speaks fluent Portuguese while Figueroa speaks Spanish and English and Delia speaks English.

He hinted that Connection might be exporting two more local stand-outs soon with utility player Joevin Jones and versatile defender Daneil Cyrus, who both represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, unlikely to finish the season in the Pro League.

“One of the reasons we have to add is that we expect to lose two top quality players,” said Williams, “and the other quality local players are already attached to clubs. We have had enquiries about Joevin and Cyrus and I doubt they will finish the season with us.”

Jones has earned himself a promotion for the new season as he swaps number 36 for the number 10 shirt and will also sport the captain’s armband after serving as vice-captain last term.

Connection midfielder Clyde Leon, who finished last season as the club captain, is unavailable at present while he undergoes medical treatment. Leon is expected to rejoin the squad before the end of the month.

The “Savonetta Boys” also welcome back versatile defender Mekeil Williams who spent a year in Poland and is expected to compete with St Lucian defender Kurt Frederick for the left back spot.

Surinamese winger Stefano Rijssel and the local teenaged pair of striker Neil Benjamin and midfielder Jomal Williams were revelations in the latter half of the 2012/13 season and are expected to push on this year once they can keep their squad places.

Connection’s foreign-packed team sheets courted controversy in the past with complaints from rival clubs and national coaches. However, the Couva-based squad also introduced local fans to some illuminating talents like Earl Jean (St Lucia), Gefferson Goulart (Brazil), Jose Seabra (Brazil) and Jonathan Frias (Dominican Republic).

Williams made it clear that his signings are an exclamation mark on Connection’s ambitions for this season.

About Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the CEO and Editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.

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